After being able to put my 94-year-old mother in emergency care, we returned from the first holiday almost two years after a short stay in Dorset, where I saw many new plants in the many gardens we visited.
Two places to keep in mind are the Abbottberry Sub-Tropical Garden near Weimus and the gardens near Wareham. On the way back, I don’t have to worry about adding everything to my collection of plants in the car, as well as making new purchases.
I have loved eucalyptus or pineapple lilies since a friend gave me many years ago. Their statues spiers, or miners, with flowers like seed heads, standing upright for months. Many may be on the brink of extinction, but while I was there I found the new generation aloha series. These plants are a little clever, but still productive, perfect for planting in front of a border or in a pot for a place of pride. The two I bought, Aloha Leah, the bear blooms in a wonderful, purple-purple. They are snow-hard pineapple flowers that can be grown outdoors in the southern parts of the UK, but in other areas they grow in containers and move to shelters when the weather cools. Filled with containers, he enjoys a new porch next summer.
After a while, there is not much to do in Driftwood’s garden this week. Many of my summer years are now over and I had to start throwing some. Sadly, many have dried up. Although I set up my automatic irrigation system, some people will inevitably fall by the wayside.
Friend, he kindly came to feed Ellie Hector every day, but my garden is not the kind of plot you ask anyone to take care of and water while you live. I picked up a few key containers and put them in a place near some sinks and asked them to check, and these survived.
If you would like to go out and visit the garden this weekend, the National Garden Program has Knightsbridge House, which will open a garden door this Saturday, from 1:00 pm to 4:00 pm. Full details are available at www.ngs.org.uk. Located in Helili, near Helsham, with five acres[5 ha]of quiet countryside around the Georgian House, gardens and marvelous plant boundaries are planted in a modern style.
Read more about Jeff’s garden at www.driftwoodbysea.co.uk
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